Marseille's Congolese defender Chancel Mbemba has been voted the best African player in France's Ligue 1 this season, the organisers announced on Tuesday.

Mbemba, 28, has played 35 league matches for Marseille this season and has scored five goals, helping to lift the club to third and qualify for the preliminary rounds of the Champions League with one game left to play.

He beat last year's winner, Lens midfielder Seko Fofana from Ivory Coast and Nice's Nigerian international forward Terem Moffi.

Mbemba made his breakthrough in Europe at Belgian club Anderlecht in 2013 before joining English club Newcastle in 2015.

He made a successful move to Porto in 2018, playing 138 games for the Portuguese club and winning two league and cup doubles.

The award for best African player in France's top flight is organised by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24 and is named after Marc-Vivien Foe, the Cameroon international who died of a cardiac arrest during a Confederations Cup match in Lyon in 2003.

The award is given by a jury of journalists, TV analysts and former players.